Orie Melvin will stand trial
PITTSBURGH — Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin will stand trial on seven charges of illegally using her publicly funded staff for her political campaigns for a seat on the court in 2003 and 2009, a judge ruled Tuesday.
The conservative Republican from Pittsburgh’s North Hills suburbs has denied the charges and suggested they are a political vendetta by the county’s Democratic district attorney, Stephen Zappala Jr.
Melvin, who has been suspended from the court, declined to comment on the judge’s decision. Four of the charges she faces are felonies. Her arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 14. A trial date has not yet been set.
Meanwhile, Melvin’s sister, former state Sen. Jane Orie, is serving a prison sentence for convictions on similar charges, and their sister, Janine Orie, faces trial in August.
Magisterial District Judge James J. Hanley Jr. on Tuesday dismissed two of the original nine charges against Melvin, but said the defense raised a number of issues during the two-day preliminary hearing that should be addressed at trial.
During the hearing, Melvin staff members and employees of other elected officials testified they were asked or expected to do political work for Melvin while they were on the state payroll. In response, defense lawyers worked to create doubts about whether Melvin herself gave such orders or was even aware of actions taken by staff supervisors or campaign workers.
